Get in shape with the EndeavorFX VSVC Shapeshifter Compressor

Got enough compressor plug-ins yet? EndeavorFX is bringing yet another one to your DAW. What sets it apart? The VSVC Shapeshifter Compressor has controls that let you shape the attack and release curves independently.

At first glance, the VSVC Shapeshifter has all the traditional controls of a compressor. Input and output gain, threshold, ratio, attack, release and a soft knee / hard knee switch – it’s all there. It also has two saturation stages, one at the input and one at the output, as well as a high pass filter for the sidechain input. But given the abundance of compressor plug-ins, the VSVC Shapeshifter needed something special to set it apart from the rest.

Tweak the attack and release shapes to your liking

EndeavorFX says that it found the shapes of the attack and release curves to be even more significant for the overall sound of a compressor than the timing. This is why the VSVC Shapeshifter has two additional knobs next to the controls for the attack and release times, which let you shape the curves independently. So you could have an attack phase that starts out slowly before kicking in fully. Or you could let the release begin fast and then phase out gradually. Endeavor FX claims that the characteristic of the compression is adjustable from pumpy to snappy, and everything in between.

There is also a character section with controls for high and low, which makes the behavior of the compressor even more tweakable. Add to this the option of choosing L/R or M/S processing, and you have a plug-in that does look like an interesting addition to any DAW, even among all the others. Will it make our list of this year’s Top 5 best studio and creative effect plug-ins? Well, we’ll have to see about that. Oh, and by the way: It has absolutely nothing to do with the Shapeshifter DIY drum machine.

The EndeavorFX VSVC Shapeshifter Compressor is available as a VST2, VST3, AU and AAX plug-in for Mac OS X 10.7 or higher and Windows 7 or higher. It uses the iLok copy protection system.

Until March 25, the VSVC Shapeshifter Compressor is available at an introductory price of 49 US dollars. The regular price will be 98 dollars. You can download a fully functional 2-week trial version from their website.